Manhole step



June 2, 1942.

H. BARRIBALL MANHOLE STEP Filed March 6, 1939 Ease-er #5923186.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 2, 1942 UNITED stares ram OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to an improved form of step for man-hole wall.

Heretofore there have been such steps made of bars or rods ofsubstantially U-shape with their ends extended through the wall andsecured to the opposite side thereof. Such an arrangement requiresspecial provision for the insertion of the step in the wall and involvescorrespondingly special labor with the expense incident thereto.Furthermore, such a step would deteriorate because of the naturalelements to which it was subjected at all times; and thus over a longperiod of time, it could not be considered dependable. Also, the removaland renewal of such a step would require again considerable labor andthus this old arrangement has proved quite expensive and unsatisfactory.It might be added that such a step, in order to be at all dependableeven for any time after installation, would have to be made ofcomparatively large stock of bar or rod because:

of the force applied thereto in ordinary usage, it being obvious ofcourse that such a step must be able to withstand the load withoutdanger of stood to include also all of the several specific features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described andclaimed.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved form of step;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof Fig. 3 is a partial plan view illustratinghow my step is employed;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation illustrating the same thing; and

Fig. 5 is a partial view of the deformed reinforcing bar.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely forthe purpose of illustration and that there may be devised various otherforms thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention asherein set forth and claimed.

As above stated, my present form of step is molded out of concrete andthus it becomes a selfcontained, one-piece body. According to one formand size of step which I have made and demonstrated with very markedsuccess and satisfaction for all required purposes, it is thirteeninches long and ten inches wide, from front to rear, with approximatelyfour inches thereof inserted within the man-hole wall and the remainingportion of approximately six inches extending from the front of thewall, as indicated in Fig. 3. The measurement of thirteen inchescorresponds to that of one and one-half bricks as stretchers or three asheaders; while the depth of four inches to which the step is inserted inthe wall, corresponds approximately with half-length of brick; and theheight of the step is made to correspond approximately with thethickness of a brick, about two and one-half inches. Thus my step can bequite readily built up in the brick wall in much the same manner as ifit were part of the brick work, the motor being applied to thosesurfaces thereof which come at the regular joints between the bricks.

As a further means of strengthening the bond between the step and thewall to which it is applied I have provided an indenture upon the topsurface thereof within the area to be inserted within the wall of theman-hole, such indenture being indicated by reference numeral 2, whichis adapted to receive the mortar when the step is employed in connectionwith a brick wall, thereby strengthening the engagement of the stepwithin the wall. Such indenture may also be inindenture means, abovereferred to, and allowed to set and become solidly fixed therewithin.

This step comprises the rear portion I which is adapted to be set withinthe man-hole wall, the side portions 4 and the front tread portion 5which extends across the front ends of the side portions. That is, theside and front portions are provided by the cut-out portion or opening 6which in the present illustration is of oblong form with rounded ends,this space or openin being essential to accommodate the front part ofthe foot of the user as it is applied to the front or rung portion 5.The sideportions 4 are reinforced by means of the raised ribs 1 whichserve also as a meansof preventing accidental dislodgement of the footof the user laterally from the rung 5. The rung is corrugated, asindicated in the drawing, so as to afford an efficient surfaceengagement 'by th foot of the user. The corner portions 8 and 9 servealso as a means of further strengthening the side portions 4, especiallythe corner portions which are adjacent to the rear portion I.

As a means of reinforcing the side and front portions of this step, Ihave embedded the deformed bar of approximately three-eighths of an inchin diameter in the present design of step and with the other dimensionsas above noted.

This deformed reinforcing bar is here indicated by reference numeral H]and is of substantially U-shape which corresponds to the relativearrangement of the side and front portions of the concrete molded form,as indicated in Fig. 1. This reinforcing bar is arranged in an inclinedmanner with its rear ends at a higher level than the front part thereof,as indicated in Fig. 2. That is, the side portions of this bar inclinedownwardly and forwardly, and the front or middle portion thereofoccupies position at about mid-way of the height of the rung portion, asalso indicated in Fig. 2.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the step is inserted into the wall up to a pointcorresponding approximately with the rear edge of the opening 6. Infact, in the present illustration this point is slightly to the rear ofthe opening 6 although such variation is not material. As a matter offact, this line of engagement at the front of the wall will be differentwhen the step is set in a curved form of man-hole wall. In such a case,I am able to employ the same form of step as in the form of wall hereinillustrated. Y

The side and front portions of this step will, of course, be subjectedto the loadincident to actual usage and I have found from actualexperiment that my present form of step can Withstand considerablygreater load than required and without even cracking. My belief is thatsuch strength is due to the particular manner in which the reinforcingbar is arranged, as herein indicated. Although I do not wish to be boundby my present theory as to why this arrangement contributes such greatstrength, yet my understanding is that there will be a longitudinalthrust along the bar towards the front thereof when load is appliedthereto and there will at the same time be a compression of the concretebeneath the bar in the region of the side portions 4 and compression ofthe concrete above the bar in the region to which the load is appliedupon the tread portion. As a result, the bar is prevented from bendingunder the load to which it will be subjected; and, as above stated, theconcrete will not even crack under even greater load than thatordinarily to be expected during regular usage.

Thus, I have devised a man-hole step which requires the use of"considerably less steel and which consequently is less expensive butwhich is stronger, more dependable and hence more practical, as comparedwith previous forms of such devices.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a base havingsubstantially parallel top and bottom sides, arms extending laterallyfrom the ends of the base and whose top surfaces are inclined downwardlyfrom the corresponding surface of the base towards their outer ends thebottom surfaces of said arms occupying the same plane as the bottom sideof said base, a cross bar connecting the outer ends of said arms andbeing of substantially the same vertical dimension as the adjacentportions of said arms, flanges extending along the top sides of the armsand whose top surfaces are substantially flush with the correspondingsurface of the base, the foregoing elements constituting parts of anintegral body of earthenware, and a reinforcing element embedded withinsaid body and extending lengthwise through the cross bar at aboutmid-height thereof and inclined upwardly therefrom through the arms andinto the base.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base havingsubstantially parallel top and bottom sides, arms extending laterallyfrom the ends of the base the bottom surfaces of said arms occupying thesame plane as the bottom side of said base, a cross bar connecting theouter ends of said arms, the foregoing elements constituting parts of anintegral body of earthenware, and a reinforcing element embedded withinsaid body and extending lengthwise through the cross bar at a levelnearer the bottom plane than the top plane of the base and beinginclined rearwardly through said arms and into the base toward the planeof the top of the base.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base havingsubstantially parallel top and bottom sides, arms extending laterallyfrom the ends of said base, the bottom surfaces of said arms occupyingthe same plane as the bottom side of said base, a cross bar connectingthe outer ends of said arms and being of less height than said base,upward projections upon the top sides of said arms to prevent accidentallateral dislodgement of the users foot from said cross bar, theforegoing elements constituting parts of an integral body ofearthenware, and a reinforcing element embedded within said body andextending lengthwise through said cross bar at a level nearer the bottomplane than the top plane of said base and being inclined rearwardlythrough said arms and into said base towards the top of said base.

4. A device of the character described comprising a base havingsubstantially parallel top and bottom sides, arms extending laterallyfrom the ends of said base, the bottom surfaces of said arms being inthe same plane as the bottom side of said base, the top surfaces of saidarms being inclined downwardly and forwardly from said base, a cross barconnecting the outer ends of said arms and being. of substantially thesame height as the forward ends of said arms, the foregoing elementsconstituting parts of an integral body of earthenware, and a reinforcingelement embedded within said body and extending lengthwise through saidcross bar at approximately mid-height thereof and being inclinedupwardly and rearwardly through said arms and into said base towards thetop thereof.

5. A device of the class described comprising a base havingsubstantially parallel flat top and bottom sides, arms extendinglaterally from the ends of said base and Whose bottom surfaces are inthe same plane as the bottom side of said base, a cross bar connectingthe outer ends of said arms and being of less height than said base, theforegoing elements constituting parts of an integral body ofearthenware, and a reinforcing element embedded within said body andextending lengthwise through said cross bar and rearwardly through saidarms and into said base.

ROBERT H. BARRIBALL.

